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Working in the healthcare industry can be both impactful and rewarding. Those who have an interest in helping people often find that a healthcare job may be ideal. Moreover, having a degree is often preferred by employers. Let's look at some reasons to get a healthcare management degree and what to expect in this industry.

Reasons to pursue a degree in healthcare management

Working in healthcare might be ideal for someone who has a knack for problem-solving and enjoys helping others while working in a fast-paced environment. But not everyone who feels called to healthcare wants to pursue a physician or nursing career. For those��on the road to becoming a health professional but don't want to work directly with patient medical needs, healthcare management could be the answer.

Healthcare managers oversee the daily operations of healthcare facilities and manage employees. They ensure that workers have the tools and resources to provide quality care to patients.

There are several factors to consider when deciding if healthcare management is the right field. Here are five reasons some people choose to pursue a healthcare management degree.

1. Healthcare manager salary range

Management salaries vary depending on the sector and healthcare facility.��As of May 2024, medical and health services managers , according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of ������Ƶ. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. ������Ƶ does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.

2. Job outlook

Another advantage of earning a degree in healthcare management is that it will help graduates pursue opportunities in an ever-growing job market.

According to BLS, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to , which is much faster than the average for all occupations. About 61,400 openings for medical and health services managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to ������Ƶ students or graduates.

3. Varied work settings

Many healthcare managers work in hospitals, but other management opportunities exist. Candidates may find opportunities in all sorts of healthcare environments, including:

• Hospitals
• Long-term care facilities
• Clinics
• Nursing homes
• Private practices
• Campus health centers

Additionally, healthcare managers work in both rural and metropolitan areas.

4. Sense of purpose

Healthcare managers are likely a significant part of healthcare provisioning and ensuring healthcare facilities have the tools they need to operate properly.

They may also be able to give back to the community by ensuring that those who need health care most get the care they require. Although healthcare managers are not directly involved in patient treatment, they do impact patients' lives in various ways. They continuously strive to enhance the quality of healthcare delivery systems in a hospital or medical facility and support innovative medical outreach initiatives.

5. Leadership opportunities

Healthcare facilities look for management professionals who can lead teams. Moreover, BLS notes that a career in healthcare management may provide candidates opportunities to pursue positions with higher responsibilities within the industry. For example, some health managers with the right experience, education, like a degree in healthcare management, and licenses may become responsible for overseeing an entire hospital’s information systems. Of course, this depends on the organization and performance of the employee.

After an employee develops experience as a manager, they may be able to inspire change, lead growth, implement best practices and boost productivity. In addition, said employees could eventually take on the responsibilities of recruiting and hiring top talent and other big-picture organizational initiatives.

Disadvantages of being a healthcare manager

Though healthcare management is a rewarding profession, it’s not without disadvantages.

Long hours

Healthcare management involves long working hours that may be difficult for some individuals to keep up with. In addition, it may be necessary to be on call at night and on weekends to respond to emergencies.

Challenging industry

Healthcare facilities are an extremely demanding industry to work in. Healthcare management experts must deal with stress and pressure from their work.��

The��, staff shortages and urgent equipment demands can keep a healthcare manager up at night. Managers are under a lot of strain to keep expenses in check while maintaining patient safety and employee morale.

Potentially stressful work environment

Even when healthcare facilities are not experiencing life-threatening situations, managers may need to address daily stressful situations.

Whether it's coping with an uncooperative staff member or ensuring healthcare regulation compliance, managers must always be in control of their emotions.

Healthcare managers may face several stressors, including:

• Organizational pressure
• Budget cuts
• Industry changes
• Financial concerns
• Unpredictable healthcare environment

Although healthcare managers may encounter difficult work situations, maintaining positive mental health is essential.

How to become a healthcare manager

It takes dedication and continuous learning to pursue a healthcare administration career. Schools offer various programs to prepare students for healthcare management careers.

While some hiring managers may prefer graduates have a bachelor's degree, in healthcare management, a��Master of Health Administration/Master of Business Administration��degree may provide students flexibility in their career options. Here are the typical steps to becoming a healthcare manager.

1. Gain experience

Regardless of the desired job title, experience is crucial. There are several ways to gain healthcare experience to work toward this goal. Aspiring healthcare managers might start in a hospital or clinic billing department or as a healthcare recruiter. Other avenues may include:

• Volunteering at a healthcare facility
• Completing an internship or fellowship program
• Working as a healthcare aide or in a healthcare administrative assistant position

To stand out to hiring managers, candidates need to demonstrate expertise. One of the best ways of doing so is by earning certificates. Regardless of the level of expertise, obtaining��additional specialized healthcare certificates��can help candidates pursue opportunities in healthcare.

2. Develop must-have skills

It takes a particular skill set to work in healthcare management. Some valuable skills include:

• Communication: Effective healthcare managers are masters at communication. This means not only being an effective speaker but also a good listener.
• Critical thinking: When healthcare managers solve problems, they need to be creative and methodical.
• Organization and time management: Healthcare managers need to juggle multiple tasks and prioritize their workload accordingly.
• People skills:��Healthcare managers work with healthcare professionals, administrators and patients daily, building strong relationships.
• Problem-solving:��Managers need to be able to identify healthcare needs and offer solutions.
• Budgeting: Managing healthcare budgets requires familiarity with healthcare economics.
• Leadership: Professionals may be asked to help find solutions to business or staffing problems, so having leadership skills can be beneficial.
• Healthcare environment: Working in different environments requires a different set of skills.
• Professionalism: Healthcare managers should be able to effectively lead a team, make decisions and communicate with leadership, patients and patients’ families.
• Business skills: These can be useful skills for the business side of healthcare and can include budgeting, accounting, supply chain management, finance and economics.

To improve or master these abilities, start by performing simple activities to get into the habit of communicating more effectively. Consider taking another class on budgeting or even taking on an internship for experience in a real healthcare environment.

3. Choose a degree program

Choosing a degree program can be a complex process, especially when considering healthcare. Weighing the options carefully can lead to an informed decision. Take a moment to reflect on what matters most in a job. Think about skills and what career path would be a good match.

Here are a few��tips for choosing a program for a degree in healthcare management:

• Choose a goal-oriented program: Choose a program that’s designed to help provide the education and skills best suited to achieving career goals.
• Use assessment tools:��For those who are still unsure about their field of study, try assessment tools to determine talents and interests.
• Research potential career paths: Think about long-term goals and what kind of roles fit long-term goals. From there, look for a program that aligns with those goals.
• Be flexible:��Goals can shift over time, and it's not unusual for objectives to change. Find a flexible program.

Ultimately, it's important for students to choose a career and degree program they feel passionate about and aligns with their interests.

Discover online programs for a degree in healthcare management

If you’re interested in learning more about online degree in healthcare management, ������Ƶ offers various online programs, including a bachelor’s in healthcare administration, an MHA degree, an online DBA program, and an MBA.

Contact ������Ƶ for more information.